Attachment for card-sorting machines



C. D. LAKE. ATTACHMENT FOR CARD SORTING MACHINES.

v Mmc/mon msn SEPT. 24, 1920.' 1,389,951

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C. D. LAKE. ATTACHMENT FOR CARD SORTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1920.

1,889,951 Patendspt. 6, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

c. n. LAKE.

ATTACHMENT TOR CARD soRTlNG rvlAcmNES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-24, 1920..

1,389,951. Patentedsept. 6,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

IlIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIlIlllIllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIJ C. D. LAKE.

ATTACHMENT FOR CARD SORTING MACHINES.

f APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, I92o.

PaIenIed sept. 6,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.'

IIIUIHIIIIIIIITI I.

II'IIIIIHI Illlllllllllllllll UNITED 4s'lzAp'lIss4 PATENT '.oFFlcE.

CLAIR DENNISON' LAKE, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGN'OR TO THEdTABU-LATLNG MACHINE COMPANY,

A yCOBPORA'IIOlII' OF NEW JERSEY.

ATTACHMENT ron CARD-SORTING MACHINES To @ZZ whom t may concern 'BeJitknown'that I, CLAIR D. LAKE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at general character set forth inthe patent to ITI. Hollerith,

No. 1,237,646, dated August 2l, 1917, and, in general terms, arecharacterized by the following features of construction and operation.

A bunch of cards, which are to be sorted according to certain indexholes punched therein, are successively brought into operative orcontrol position, and operate to set,

by means of the punched record which they contain, devices whichdetermine the point of delivery of each card, which devices remain soset while'the' cards arein transit to the sorting stations where theirdelivery into appropriate 'compartments or receptacles is eii'ectedthrough the instrumentality of means controlled by such set devices.

` rl`he invention of this application is an improvement in attachmentsing machines whereby there may be selected from any number of sortedcards all cards of a vgiven specific character without destroying thesequence ofthe sort of theremainder. Such av device is now known in theart as a `card selector, and it may be adapted for use with one or anydesired f, numberl of columns on a card in which index holes maybepunched. I shall hereinafter describe both a single and a multiplemech@- anism designed'for this purpose. j

The distinction between-the device of this application and what areknown in the art as card sorting machinesmay be further gathered fromthe following: A card sorting machine is one that-handles a promiscuousstack' of cards. It has a single brush which is adjustedto positionovera-single vertical 4 column of pointsfor punched holes, so that forsuch sort- Appncatiun mea septembr 24, '1920. serial Noqnasn.v

' it sorts all the cards punched in such column intov compartments or,receptacles -that correspond to the position of the punchedholes.

vSpecification of Letters Patent Patented Slept.4 6, 1942-1-- Y v Tosort order numbers, person numbers or g y anything else which have aplurality offigures, say four, requires four runs of the cards toarrangethem numerically, sorting first the ten-thousandths column, then thethousandths, the units column', and the -cards must be taken out of thecompartments in such manner as not to mix them between sorts..

'A card selector, on the other hand, is a device which takes any stackof cards and sorts out from the same all cards having holescorresponding to numbers, Whether over one or more figures-that is tosay, all cards of a special character and throws all others into areject box or compartment. The selector is conveniently mounted on theframe of the sorter and is driven bythe driving mechanism of the same,and in thus selecting out special cards from any group, it does notdisturb the order of the rejected or unseleoted cards; .The purpose ofthe selector@ in other words, is to select from a bunch of cards,whether they be arranged numerically or not, all cards punched the samein one or in a plurality ofA columns, without disturbing the sequence ofthe remainder. l

lIn' the accompanying drawings which illustrate the construction and themode of then the hundredths and finally operation of4 the abovedescribed attachment, 1

Figure- 1 is a side view, mainly in elevation, of the interior mechanismof a casing containing the improvement.

Fig. 2 is a top, plan view of the said mechanism, the top of the casinbeing removed. Fig. 3. is a front view oft e same machine. Fig. 4 is adetail ofa stop lever. v Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of a ratchet) andthumb operated gear wheel. Y

Fig.v` 6 is a detail view in elevation of one of the index wheels andits accessories.l

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram of the circuits single column cardl selector.

Fig. 9 is a top plan,v1ewofsuch a card.

' selector. y

Fig. 1o is a. vie-W A'similar a, Fig. 6 but amplified to show certainother parts, and

Fig. 11 is awiring diagram for the singlev column card selector'shown inFigs. Sand 9.

I have used so far as is consistent with clearness of description thesame reference numerals to indicate corresponding parts in the twomachines. y

Each selector comprises certain essential mechanical parts which may berst described. Referring, for example, to Figs. 1 and 2, which in thisregard showfmerely a plurality of single column selectors, each of saidselectors has two spring contacts l, 2, secured to the insulating block3 and forming terminals, and normally held apart by the tension of thevsprings. Under the free ends of these contacts is a contact cam 4mounted on an insulating bushing 16 on a transverse shaft 5, and fixedto each bushing is a knurled setting wheel 6, an index this combinationof cam wheels and pawl v being free torotate on the shaft 5.

Withinthe index wheels 7 and fixed to the shaft 5 are ratchet wheels 9,Figs. 2 and 5, upon which rest and with which engage the pawls 8, andthese ratchet wheels have teeth corresponding to and representing thefigures in a column on the tabulator cards.

'is required.- Card sorting machines have a drive shaft which makes onerevolution during thel passage under the contact brush of each singlecard.- The selecting device is mounted in any convenient manner on theframe of the card sorter, and the shaft 5 is geared or connected withthe shaft ofthel sorter, so as to revolve in unison therewith. Inconjunction with the wheels 6 there are ,employed thumbwheels 10 carriedat the Iends oflevers 11- secured to a rock shaft 12 mounted -on theframe .of the machine.

. this shaft, lever 13, see Figs. 1 and 4, is

, fixed) in such relation that when a projecistv tion l4-thereon dropsor enters a notch 15 in the setting cam 17secured tothe shaft 5, thethumb wheel -10 meshes with the perlphery of a setting wheel 6 andenables the operator lto set or reset the contact cam 4 to exhibit thedesired numeral or letter. It will, therefore, lbe understood from theconstruction above described that when the projection 14 on lever 13enters the recess or notchil the index wheel 7 will show at apredetermined point the figure corresponding to theselected figure on atabulator card. i ,l Wtlleach' ofthe above'descrbed combinations is useda4 snap switch 18. In the case of a singley column selector this switch,as is shown in the diagram Fig. 11, is employed to shunt the circuitaround thecontact com bination when the apparatus is used for straightsorting. In the case of va multiple column selector the samef switchesas shown in the diagram Fig. 7 are used to shunt the circuit around thesorter magnet circuitrelays for straight sorting.

-The term straight sorting is a technical term in this art and by it ismeant the sorting ofall the cards which have a hole ina given verticalcolumn. It will be seen,'there fore, that l when -the Sorter is used forstraight sorting the contact combination in the single column selectoror those in the multiple column selector are thrown out of operation as`they are not needed.

The only remaining undescribed mechanical detail is what is known as theconverting mechanism, which consists of a shaft 19 having on its end aknurled knob 20 and carrying two projections or fingers 21, Figs. 1, 2and 7, ofAinsulating material. When this shaft is turned these fingersengage wlth and hold closed the end contact combinations in order thatthe device vmay be used for straight sorting.

The cycle of operation of the sin le column selector will` nowbedescribed yreference to the diagram Fig. 11. Switch 18 should be open.The operator first turns by hand the sorter to aposition'where theprojection 14 enters the notch 15, thereby throwing the thumb wheel intogear with the setting wheel 6. I-Ie then, by means of the thumb wheel,sets the index wheel 7 so that any desired'number, sa 7 appears atthewindow of the device. he cards to be han-v dled are then placed in thehopperl of the -sorterfeedv mechanism andf the machine started. As thecards pass under the brush 22 the contact camwill bring the contacts 1and' 2 together at the 7 point and when any card with a hole punched atcomes under the brush the circuit is completed through sorting magnet23, which in a well understood way attracts its armature and stops thechute bars so that the -card will go to thef7 box or receptacle. At noother time can the\ circuit to the sorting magnet be made, therefore theremainder of the cards in their order are guided into the reject box.

If it be desired to use the apparatus for straight sorting,. the switch18 is' closed, with the result above described, and in such event theindexwheel andcam attached may be in any position.

lIn a companion application, Serial No. 405,613, filed this diagram asare not described herein are August'24, 1920, such parts of` more fullyset forth, butv for purposes of the present case a more complete.understanding of the same is not essential.

' are in the same way set by ,26; The relay is a shunt relay example,that all cards having punched in lconsecutive columns holescorresponding to 6893 are to be sorted out.

In this case the four selector index wheels the thumb wheels to displayat the windows the numerals 6893. The brush holders for the brushes 22are then adjusted to the proper columns on the cards, switches should beopen, and the machine started.

As a card passes under the'brushes the figure 9, or its equivalent holeassuming such hole to have been punched, will be the first to permit acontact to brush for that column and the contact roll 24. Shouldthiscond-ition be established by the second brush from the end whichcorresponds to the tens position, a circuit would be completed whichenergizes relays 25 and while relay 26 is a sorter magnet clrcuit relay,and the former thus closes a shunt around the brushes 22, through wires27 and 28 and its own armature through the relay 26 to the oppositeterminal wire 29, which. causes the circuit for thatv particular brushto remain closed after the brush hasleft the hole in the card until cam30 breaks the circuit near the end of the cycle. The contacts of therelay 26 are vthus kept closed and bridge across its part of the sortermagnet circuit.

The same operation occurs at each of the other figures as they reach thebrushes in `their part of the cycle, until the llast break in thecircuit of the sorter magnet 23 is bridged, when-the machine acts in thesame manner as a regular sorter. The last or lowest figure operating thesorting magnet stops the chute bars for the card, and in this case being3, the-card selected for the figures 6893 will go into the 3 box orreceptacle and all other cards in their order into the reject box.

`Near the end of the cycle the shunt circuit through wires 27, 28, isbroken by a time controlled cam 30, when the device is ready for anothercard. It is manifest that the combination of circuits closed by theholesV provided to lcorrespond with 6893 will not. be closedl by any.other ligure and hence all other cards will go to the reject box.

' The brush holders or carriers are individual and may be thrown out atwill, but the switches 18 are for the purpose of bypassing the contactcombinations, as is clearly indicated inthe diagram, Fig. 7.

Should it be desired touse the device for straight sorting, either ofthe two outside brushes, accordingl to which end of the' sorter feedmechanism t be made between the be used, as the converting mechanism,comprising the shaft 19 and finger 21, operates on the outside contactcombinations only and thus closes these two contacts. ing center brushesand the other ,outside brush, not being used,=can either'be thrown outorleft in, as desired. The fourindex wheels and cams also may be in anyposition, and one switch 18, corresponding to the brush being used,should be open, other three switches should be closed.

The above described apparatus 'has been -found in practice to be a mostvaluable and useful accessory to the ordinary card sorting machines. Itgreatly widens their field of usefulness and simplifies many operationswhere it is desirablev to distinguish and to select'out all cards of acertain character.

1. In an attachment card-sorting machine, normally yseparated contactsadaptedrto be connected up in the circuit of the sorting magnet, a camand index wheel with divisions corresponding to the horizontal lines forpunched holes in a card, and means for adjusting said cam and indexwheel to close the contacts at any given point in the cycle, wherebyonly such-cards as have holes correspondingfto such adjusted positionwill be sorted out. l

In an attachment for and'driven by'a card-sorting machine, thecombination with a pluralityvof pairs of normally separated contacts,circuits adapted'- to be. closed by for and driven by a the same, relaysin sald circuits adapted' magnety circuit will be completedv when all 0-of the contacts corresponding to such adjusted positionsfhave beenclosed, and only such-cards as have holes correspondmg to such adjustedpositions will be sorted out.

lwheels) secured to a e brush holder is set, may

3. In an attachment for and driven by a card-sorting machine, thecombination wit a plurality of pairs of normally separated contactsadapted to be connected up in circuit with the sorting magnet, cams forop,- erating said contacts, index wheels (with divisions correspondingto the horizontal lines for punched holes in a card) secured to saidcams, a driving pawl secured to each index wheel, ratchets (with teethcorresponding to the cam secured to said shaft, a lever with a rojectionthereon adapted to be brought lnto engagement with the notch, and thumbwheels operated by The remain- 4while the the combination withthecontacts at predeter divisions on the index 'l shaft, a notched disk or,

said lever and adapted wheels when the projection lies in the saidnotch, wherebyl the index Wheels may be adjusted from outside thedevice. l

4. In an attachment for and driven by a card-sorting machine, thecombination with a plurality of normally open contacts, a lcamfforclosing each pair, an index Wheel secured to each cam, circuits adaptedto beA completed by the contacts, relays in said circuits which whenenergized close breaks in a circuit including the .sorting magnet, meansfor adjusting the cams and index Wheels so that the contacts will beclosed at predetermined instants in the cycle, and means for breakingall circuits at the end of each cycle.

5. In an attachment for and driven by a card-sorting machine, thecombination with normally open contacts adapted to control the sortlngmagnet circuit, adjustable cams for closing said contacts atpredetermined instants in the cycle, and switches for renderinginoperative the said contacts when so desired.

6. In an attachment for and driven by a card-sorting machine, thecombination of controlling contacts for the sorting magnet, ofadjustable cams adapted to be set so as to operate said contacts atpredetermined instants in each cycle of operation.

In testimony Whereo'f I hereto aiix my signature.

CLAIR DENNisomLAKE;

